Comments on: Year of the Gorilla Part 8: The Bushmeat Trade http://houstonzooblogs.org/wildconservation/2009/08/year-of-the-gorilla-part-8-the-bushmeat-trade/ Learning to conserve at the Houston Zoo Mon, 07 May 2012 14:17:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Sonja http://houstonzooblogs.org/wildconservation/2009/08/year-of-the-gorilla-part-8-the-bushmeat-trade/comment-page-1/#comment-282 Sonja Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:49:25 +0000 http://houstonzooblogs.org/wildconservation/?p=451#comment-282 The thought that people are doing this for profit, and not for survival, is absolutely disgusting. Why is it even entering the US? Who is it going to? People need to be educated to understand both the sustainability of wildlife, as well as the dangers of eating infected meats. The thought that people are doing this for profit, and not for survival, is absolutely disgusting. Why is it even entering the US? Who is it going to? People need to be educated to understand both the sustainability of wildlife, as well as the dangers of eating infected meats.

]]> By: Julian Martinez http://houstonzooblogs.org/wildconservation/2009/08/year-of-the-gorilla-part-8-the-bushmeat-trade/comment-page-1/#comment-272 Julian Martinez Fri, 14 Aug 2009 04:07:12 +0000 http://houstonzooblogs.org/wildconservation/?p=451#comment-272 One interesting piece of the puzzle here is that the bushmeat trade grows with infrastructure. Sometimes people think that you can build a road through a wilderness area and pull it off without any complications. This is a perfect example of one: even if the logging company abides by all the local laws and regulations, the very fact that roads now connect the cities and the deep wilderness makes poaching that much easier. In practice, that means the amount of poaching greatly increases. As the BCTF web page makes clear, these subtle connections can have a huge impact on local wildlife. It just goes to show that, when contemplating development, you have to consider all the angles, not just the obvious ones. One interesting piece of the puzzle here is that the bushmeat trade grows with infrastructure. Sometimes people think that you can build a road through a wilderness area and pull it off without any complications. This is a perfect example of one: even if the logging company abides by all the local laws and regulations, the very fact that roads now connect the cities and the deep wilderness makes poaching that much easier. In practice, that means the amount of poaching greatly increases. As the BCTF web page makes clear, these subtle connections can have a huge impact on local wildlife. It just goes to show that, when contemplating development, you have to consider all the angles, not just the obvious ones.

]]> By: Rebekah Reyna http://houstonzooblogs.org/wildconservation/2009/08/year-of-the-gorilla-part-8-the-bushmeat-trade/comment-page-1/#comment-258 Rebekah Reyna Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:18:19 +0000 http://houstonzooblogs.org/wildconservation/?p=451#comment-258 This is a very interesting article and I never knew about this problem. Thanks for the information. This is a very interesting article and I never knew about this problem. Thanks for the information.

]]> By: Natalie Bailey http://houstonzooblogs.org/wildconservation/2009/08/year-of-the-gorilla-part-8-the-bushmeat-trade/comment-page-1/#comment-257 Natalie Bailey Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:07:00 +0000 http://houstonzooblogs.org/wildconservation/?p=451#comment-257 Thanks so much for highlighting this issue on the Houston Zoo blog! There is a lot of information - including possible solutions and some terrific projects - available at the BCTF website. Please visit and get involved! Thanks so much for highlighting this issue on the Houston Zoo blog! There is a lot of information – including possible solutions and some terrific projects – available at the BCTF website. Please visit and get involved!

]]> By: Liz http://houstonzooblogs.org/wildconservation/2009/08/year-of-the-gorilla-part-8-the-bushmeat-trade/comment-page-1/#comment-249 Liz Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:52:39 +0000 http://houstonzooblogs.org/wildconservation/?p=451#comment-249 Is education the answer? Is education the answer?

]]> By: Van http://houstonzooblogs.org/wildconservation/2009/08/year-of-the-gorilla-part-8-the-bushmeat-trade/comment-page-1/#comment-248 Van Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:30:46 +0000 http://houstonzooblogs.org/wildconservation/?p=451#comment-248 This is horrible I had no idea the deadly viruses are linked from these types of acts. I guess I am naive to the consumption of wildlife I never knew people actually ate gorillas, chimpanzees, elephants, forest antelope, crocodiles. etc. These blogs are really informative and would like to see them continue. This is horrible I had no idea the deadly viruses are linked from these types of acts. I guess I am naive to the consumption of wildlife I never knew people actually ate gorillas, chimpanzees, elephants, forest antelope, crocodiles. etc. These blogs are really informative and would like to see them continue.

]]> By: Victor A http://houstonzooblogs.org/wildconservation/2009/08/year-of-the-gorilla-part-8-the-bushmeat-trade/comment-page-1/#comment-247 Victor A Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:29:16 +0000 http://houstonzooblogs.org/wildconservation/?p=451#comment-247 I suppose there are some real reasons (doesn't make them right) as to why people in those regions feel that they need bush meat. With that I feel there is a means to help, like other posters said; donate food/money, buy fair trade goods and coffee. However the fact that there is a demand for bush meat in western countries is very disconcerting. Is there a better way to stop the black market for bush meat in, what I imagine are large US cities? I suppose there are some real reasons (doesn’t make them right) as to why people in those regions feel that they need bush meat. With that I feel there is a means to help, like other posters said; donate food/money, buy fair trade goods and coffee.
However the fact that there is a demand for bush meat in western countries is very disconcerting. Is there a better way to stop the black market for bush meat in, what I imagine are large US cities?

]]> By: Alicia http://houstonzooblogs.org/wildconservation/2009/08/year-of-the-gorilla-part-8-the-bushmeat-trade/comment-page-1/#comment-246 Alicia Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:23:19 +0000 http://houstonzooblogs.org/wildconservation/?p=451#comment-246 to think that bushmeat is entering the US, is sickening. There should be a world-wide collaborative effort in order to decrease the sell of bushmeat for profit. to think that bushmeat is entering the US, is sickening. There should be a world-wide collaborative effort in order to decrease the sell of bushmeat for profit.

]]> By: Lisa Pruitt http://houstonzooblogs.org/wildconservation/2009/08/year-of-the-gorilla-part-8-the-bushmeat-trade/comment-page-1/#comment-245 Lisa Pruitt Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:20:43 +0000 http://houstonzooblogs.org/wildconservation/?p=451#comment-245 Wow. So we have indigenous people that are fighting for their existence. We have a logging industry that is not minding how its actions are effecting the region. We have people that are hunting bushmeat for profit. If we can help the indigenous people hunt for food that is not threatened or even cultivate food in away that does not further dmage the habitat that could redce one stress. If we could plead to the logging companies better side and help them figure out ways of doing their work so that it is sprofitble but not so devastating that sould reduce abother stress. As for the for profit bushmeat, I think we need to take page from Steve Irwin and get people to "love" these animals. Hopefully people would then feelcompelled to call out those invovled. They would need to be thrown in jail if possible. Have all their equipment confiscated so that their financial set back would hopefully steer them in other directions for making money. Wow. So we have indigenous people that are fighting for their existence. We have a logging industry that is not minding how its actions are effecting the region. We have people that are hunting bushmeat for profit. If we can help the indigenous people hunt for food that is not threatened or even cultivate food in away that does not further dmage the habitat that could redce one stress. If we could plead to the logging companies better side and help them figure out ways of doing their work so that it is sprofitble but not so devastating that sould reduce abother stress. As for the for profit bushmeat, I think we need to take page from Steve Irwin and get people to “love” these animals. Hopefully people would then feelcompelled to call out those invovled. They would need to be thrown in jail if possible. Have all their equipment confiscated so that their financial set back would hopefully steer them in other directions for making money.

]]> By: Jenn http://houstonzooblogs.org/wildconservation/2009/08/year-of-the-gorilla-part-8-the-bushmeat-trade/comment-page-1/#comment-244 Jenn Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:17:23 +0000 http://houstonzooblogs.org/wildconservation/?p=451#comment-244 I had no idea that bushmeat consumption was linked to AIDS! It really makes me want to look at what more I can give to feed the people of Africa. I wish there were a way to hault such a thing and raise awareness in the people-there's language barriers, the feeling of their homes beeing terrorized, travel costs, and finding an alternative solution without starving. I hope that there is a solution while I am here on Earth. I had no idea that bushmeat consumption was linked to AIDS! It really makes me want to look at what more I can give to feed the people of Africa. I wish there were a way to hault such a thing and raise awareness in the people-there’s language barriers, the feeling of their homes beeing terrorized, travel costs, and finding an alternative solution without starving.

I hope that there is a solution while I am here on Earth.

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